Escaping the Past
by pennylane87
Summary: Rogue and Remy have too much in common, escaping their past is one of them, love another one. Are they ready to start a new life? Kind of songfic. ROMY!
1. Rogue, Learning to let go

A/N: I'm struggling with some writer's block, the joys of summer and some other distractions, but I don't want to vanish for like months so in the meanwhile and as a little way to please one of my fav readers and reviewers, _kvh502_ (she told me she needed some good romyness to get her through the days at work, and man I know how boring and long days at work can be) I decided to post this. It's a two-shot thing, mostly Rogue's POV and Remy's POV, each one based on a song though I'm not using the lyrics. So here you have, please enjoy. Hope you like it and don't forget to review, since Remy's POV will be posted based on reviews to this one (hate/love/annoyance? all comments are gladly welcomed). For you Kate, hope you have nice and funny days at work ;)

Warning: pure romyness

Disclaimer: evidently things have not changed and I don't own the X-men or any other series, song, or brand mentioned here!!

**xXXx**

Katherine Pryde, best known as Shadowcat, the pretty native Illinois brunette student from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters walked home from school carrying a couple of heavy chemistry books under her arm. She had stayed after school in the Bayville High library helping her boyfriend Lance Alvers, best know as Avalanche, with his chemistry project. Despite her young age, she was taking advanced chemistry and she was more than willing to help her failing boyfriend. Yes, she actually liked the 'tutor' thing a lot, maybe in the future she could be like Storm or Hank McCoy and teach something at Xavier's; however, for now she was just tutoring Lance that hottie Brotherhood boy. Kitty wasn't quite sure what she saw in him; evidently he was not into fashion, that vest of him was the best proof, and he was not remotely like the man of her dreams -which recently was Chase Crawford, she just loved him as Nathaniel Archibald in Gossip Girl- and he was part of the Brotherhood of Mutants, one of their biggest 'enemies'. For God's sake -Kitty sighed- when she was a newcomer she used to have a crush on Pietro Maximoff!! What was it with her and having crushes on her enemies? Anyhow, none of that really mattered, because every time Lance called her "Pretty Kitty" and winked at her, she felt butterflies in her stomach.

Humming a lovely tune she entered the big gates of the mansion and hoped for mister Logan to not be around, she wasn't in the mood for some lecture and she surely would get one since Lance's aroma was al over her. That man could be very annoying but she knew he cared a lot for her and Rogue, especially Rogue. Kitty smiled, if only he knew.

Her joyful mood, wide smile and the urge to tell her best friend about the kiss she'd shared earlier with Lance was stroke down by the sight that welcomed her once she opened the dorm door. There she was, Rogue, her former roommate and best friend, rings under her emerald green tearful eyes, black mascara staining her ivory pale cheeks sobbing in a way that would overshadow Meredith Gray and that woman certainly cried a lot. At first Kitty thought Rogue had maybe fought with that smooth talker thief but that idea left her mind the moment Kitty noticed how quickly she had closed her laptop's lid when she entered the bedroom.

"Rogue, are you ok?" Kitty asked placing the books over Rogue's desk.

"Ah'm fine Kit..." Rogue said in a trembling voice wiping her tears with her sleeve. "Ah just need some time."

"What do you mean some time?" Kitty said watching as Rogue walked towards the door. "Wait! Where are you going?" Kitty asked worried. "Are you leaving?"

"No, Ah just need some time, that's all." Rogue finally said exiting the room.

Kitty didn't buy it. After all these years, Kitty had learned to read her friend's face and gestures like an open book, those big green eyes of her spoke more than words, a very useful thing since Rogue was a few words kind of girl. That's how she had found out that she was secretly dating Remy LeBeau for like two months now; at first Kitty had remained silent and even considered the idea of blackmail her friend but later she ended up helping the two southerners in their late night sneaks out, she couldn't help it she was a helpless romantic. She liked them together, they reminded her of Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton, two southerners with past issues brought together by faith, not that Remy seemed in anyway like Stephen Moyer, although Rogue could have some resemblance to Anna Paquin, maybe if she dyed her hair. God she was rambling again and there was no time for that. Kitty Pryde was no fool, she knew when Rogue was lying and now she was lying big time. Without thinking it twice she opened Rogue's MacBook. Her pretty blue eyes widened at the on-line newspaper new she found. Worried like hell she rushed out of the room towards the mansion boy's wing.

**…**

Meanwhile in Xavier's office, the wise telepath was talking with one of his best friends, Logan Howlett. The Canadian was the closest figure to a parent Rogue had ever had, and the girl was like a daughter to him, so evidently he'd worried when she denied to tell him the reason she was going to take a couple of days off. His distinctive eyeteeth sparkled as he groaned fiercely and without thinking it twice he stormed into Xavier's office looking for the Professor's approval to stop Rogue. However what he found infuriated him more, Charles just offered him his eternal warm smile, metaphors and lack of words.

"You knew about it, didn't you Chuck?" Logan asked, finding the black leather chair increasingly uncomfortable.

"Yes, Logan I did." Charles replied calmly.

"And!" Logan snapped.

"Rogue is a young woman now," Xavier continued in his sometimes-irritating calm tone. "I can't forbid her to do whatever she wants."

"A young woman!" Logan snarled. "She's just eighteen and this is... dangerous!"

"This is what she wanted."

"You know what this could mean, Chuck..." Logan said trying to regain some calm.

"Yes, I'm very well aware of the consequences."

Logan chuckled sarcastically. "I hope so... Chuck, look there are things Rogue should let go. Things that she should better forget."

Xavier smiled and Logan could smell the parental care in the man. It was a thousand ways different than his, and it included Logan himself, even when he was several years older than Charles Xavier, one of the reasons he refused to call him Professor. "Logan, Rogue's past is an essential part of her. It's mostly because of her past that she finds hard to just normally interact with others. You my friend should know better than anyone."

Logan finally surrendered. "I guess you're right, but that doesn't mean I like the idea."

"You have nothing to worry about Logan," Xavier stated. "She's going to be fine... I can assure you that."

"Is there something else I don't know?" Logan asked suspiciously. "Something you're not telling me?" There was something else he could smell it, but as powerful as Xavier was he couldn't find anything else. Besides, he respected the man like no one else on Earth, so if he said Rogue was going to be fine, then she was.

"You will now in time my friend."

**…**

Upstairs -to be more accurate in the roof- Kitty Pryde had finally found Gambit. She had looked him in his room, the kitchen and the Rec-room, when finally it had hit her, he's probably in his favorite spot, the one he shared with Rogue, the roof. Remy was leaning against the chimney, smoking a cigarette, with that nonchalantly attitude that never seemed to leave him.

"Uhm Gambit," Kitty said as she phased the mansion's mansard roof. "Can I like talk to you?"

"Sure _petite_ what's up?" Remy said with a smirk throwing his cigarette butt away.

"It's Rogue."

His smirk immediately disappeared; the tone on Kitty's voice wasn't the usual cheerful one. "Rogue, what's wit' her?"

"Well I- I was wondering if you know something… since you're like close and," Kitty was trying to find the best words, one thing was she knew about their relationship and another that she actually wanted to talk about it with him. "You see I was like coming back from the library, where I was helping Lance with some chemistry project, he's totally failing and I'm like tutoring him. Anyway, I was so excited because he kissed me, so I wanted to tell Rogue but when I entered our room-"

Kitty was rambling and there was no time for rambling, so Gambit went straight to the point. "_Chaton sil vous plaît_... What do y' mean somet'ing? Is anyt'ing wrong?"

"She's like, gone."

"Gone? _Mais_ how? What do y' mean gone?"

"I checked her computer and I found this." Kitty handed Remy the printed newspaper new she had read earlier.

"_Mon Dieu_," Remy sighed as he read it.

"Do you think that maybe she-" Kitty began to speak while Remy's eyes remained focused on the printed page. It was an obituary.

"_Non_," he cut her off. "I don' t'ink I'm sure she did." He said before jumping onto the balcony below them and disappear behind his bedroom curtains.

**…**

_This used to be my playground  
This used to be my childhood dream  
This used to be the place I ran to  
Whenever I was in need  
Of a friend  
Why did it have to end_

Rogue walked through the very well known streets, smiling shyly as she passed by so many familiar places. Everything seemed the same but at the same time so different. It was like the city welcomed her but at the same time urged her to leave. Still, every corner reminded her of her childhood, the once careless life amongst river swims and sunny afternoons, popsicles and fireflies, denim shorts and un-sleeved shirts. Yes, those days were long gone and she had change in so many ways, but deep down she was still the same. The same southern girl who liked to laugh and run, to swim and dance, the same southern girl that liked to wear dresses and walk barefoot in damp grass, the same southern girl that stole her childhood sweetheart life with a kiss and as a consequence was forced to leave the town she loved, to cover her once tanned skin and to shut her away from people in order to do no harm again. Those days seemed so distant now that it was hard to believe once were real. Wanting to keep a low profile she put on her hood, it was getting windy so it didn't seemed awkward. Besides his death was her fault and she didn't want anyone to recognize her. The South wasn't exactly well known for its tolerance and amity towards her kind. Letting out a big sigh she kept on walking towards the city's cemetery.

Rogue sat down and leaned against a big oak tree. The little hill she chose allowed her a full view of the cemetery and the funeral that was taking place there. Evidently she couldn't hear anything but the faces spoke by themselves. Cody's entire family was there, she recognized some of them, his parents, his sister Ellen, his cousins and some of his friends; friends that a long time ago used to be her friends too. There were all there, hearing the priest, sitting around his silver coffin, all dressed in black, a color Cody hated; the color that surrounded her mind, her life. Ever since her powers first manifested, that fatidic night she kissed Cody, black became more than just a color for her. To begin with it was the color her boyfriend used to hate, the color that dominate her mind and memories, and the color that seemed to define her future. In fact, she had no future, how could she be so selfish to even dream about one with Remy, when her former boyfriend was being buried right in front of her eyes. Warm tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She had lost count of how many times she had cried since she read the obituary in the news.

An imperceptible breeze swept through her curled auburn hair, and a lock of white dangled in front of her tearful green eyes. Sobbing, Rogue tucked it behind her ear with her gloved fingers and continued to watch the funeral. Once she had thought leaving Cody in a coma was the worst pain her heart would ever know, clearly she was wrong. She would give anything to change this moment, to see Cody's blue eyes and blond hair again, to hear his loud laugh, his thick southern accent, the way he called her _Little Princess_ because how much she loved Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book. Of course she liked her life at Xavier's, where she knew that her teammates accepted her the way she was, but her trouble past trapped her and the constant fear of draining people haunted her. She could never do something like this to Remy, not him. She thought she loved Cody, but after she had met Remy she had learned what love really was. She would never dare to hurt Remy, because his death would mean her own death.

_And why do they always say  
Don't look back  
Keep your head held high  
Don't ask them why  
Because life is short  
And before you know  
You're feeling old  
And your heart is breaking  
Don't hold on to the past  
Well that's too much to ask_

A deep sigh escaped her lips when suddenly a gentle hand brushed her cheek, wiping away her tears with a thumb. Rogue looked up to see the face of Remy LeBeau smiling warmly down at her. The young Cajun thief held immense feelings for her, she could tell, just as she did for him. Her heart pounded every time he was around, every time he talked to her, and every time he kissed her gloved hand it was like magic. As for him, he felt hurt when she wept, every time he saw the pain in her eyes when Jean kissed Scott's lips, every time she blamed herself for what was beyond her hands.

"Rem- Remy... what are yah doing here?" Rogue asked.

"Lookin for y' _chère_." Remy replied softly.

"Ah'm fine, Ah don't need anyone watching mah back."

"C'mon _chère_, don' be like dis."

"Don't worry about meh... Ah know how to take care of mahself Remy."

"I know dat... _mais_ I also know why y'r here _et-_"

"And what? Yah think it's a bad idea too... Ah know Logan does, but Ah don't give a damn, he doesn't, nobody, knows the way Ah feel."

"Y'r wrong _petite_, I do know how y' feel."

"Do yah?" Rogue replied sarcastically. "If Ah'm not mistaken yah had never killed yahr ex-girlfriend... even when she's a crazy bitch!" she whispered the last part.

Remy chuckled. Even when she had never seen the Assassin's heiress, Rogue hated Belladonna Boudreaux. Remy loved her jealousy, something he found hard to understand since Rogue was better than his ex-fiancée in every sense. She was his whole universe, and he loved to see how despite all Rogue didn't miss the chance to talk bad about the blond girl.

"Y' know what I meant Rogue," Remy said grabbing her gloved hand with his.

"Maybe," Rogue sighed. "But yah don't understand Remy, yah used to have a family... even with all his faults Jean-Luc was more a father than anyone Ah ever had."

"As I told y' once _chère_, just because someone adopts you doesn' make dem a parent."

"But yah had Henri and..." Rogue sighed again. "Cody was the only person who cared about meh and Ah killed him."

"First of all," Remy said as he grasped her chin forcing her to look up at him, right into his eyes. Those deep red on black eyes of him sparkled with sincerity. "I do know how y' feel because I can feel y'r pain _chère_. Y'r pain is _mon_ pain, y'r joy is _mon_ joy... y' should know dat by now," he smiled warmly. "_Et_ secondly, maybe he was de only person who cared about y' den, _mais_ now y' have a lot of people who care."

Rogue tried to look away but Remy didn't let her.

"Remy, Ah..." Rogue trailed off speechless.

"Rogue, listen to _moi._" Remy insisted with a serious countenance as he grabbed both of her hands with his free one, feeling her shiver under his touch despite of the fact that both were wearing gloves. "I love y' too much _petite_. Too much to let y' deal with all dese by your own. Too much to ever leave y' alone."

"Yah mean it?" Rogue asked as a little smile spread across her face. "Yah really love meh?"

"Question so silly don' deserve no answer," he said caressing gently her cheek with his thumb. "Y' already know de answer _chère_, I do love y'... y' ain't goin' to hurt _moi._"

"Remy, yah don't understand it! Ah just can't take any risks," Rogue replied vainly struggling to get out of his grip. Remy stayed firm and Rogue noticed the honest love his words contained. She could see the sincerity of his feelings in his eyes. Once, Rogue thought he just wanted to play around with her as the womanizer gambler he was, but after all they've gone through, she knew he really loved her, just as much as she did.

"Remy, please!" she begged. "Ah don't want to hurt yah!"

"I don' care about it. I'd rather have a life wit' y' wit' all de risks dan a safe one wit'out y'. Don' y' see it _chère, mon_ feelings for y' are way more stronger dan anyt'ing else," Remy said as he released her hands and face, giving her the opportunity to make her mind.

Rogue smiled but turned away to look at the funeral that was coming to its end.

"Gawd Remy," Rogue said as tears flooded her green eyes again and shook her head in denial. "Hurting Cody was one of the hardest things Ah've ever faced, watching his burial breaks my heart. But... but if it's yah, Ah'll die. Ah can't do this Remy, Ah can't work through this, if Ah'm worried all the time about you."

"_Et_ how am I supposed to live wit' y' gone from _ma vie?_" Remy's eyes gleamed with love and honesty, and each word hit Rogue's heart hard. "Give _moi _a chance _chère_," he whispered softly. "Give _moi_ de chance to prove it."

And then, before Rogue could react, Remy crushed his lips to hers; her tearful emerald eyes widened and she tried to pull back before it was too late. However despite her efforts, Remy deepened the kiss and pushed her tiny body closer to his. Rogue closed her eyes giving herself up to the amazing feeling. His tongue danced along with hers as she tasted the spicy tobacco savour from his mouth. He tasted just as he smelled.

Seconds later, Remy felt his body weakening and his strength being drawn as Rogue's powers began to consume the energy out of his body, but he kept going, he wanted to do this for her. She was well aware of how strong he was, but not even him could hold that long, she felt the pull and some of his memories became hers. Worried as hell, Rogue broke the kiss and pulled away as Remy fell back and leaned against the big oak tree gasping for air.

Her first reaction was to punch him on his pretty face for what he'd done. How could he be such an idiot? Wasn't he watching her childhood boyfriend's burial right there and then? Hadn't he listened to anything she had said? But the moment she lifted her face and saw him smiling weakly and those red on black eyes of him stared at her, she realized how sincere he'd been, how full of love his words were and how much devotion he indeed held for her. Rogue smiled, her first true smile since she found out about Cody's death. She smiled down at the man that loved her more than life itself, the man that was willing to die for her, the man that kissed her with so much passion that was able to make her forget about all the pain and hurt that surrounded her. She smiled down at him, Remy LeBeau, as he gently caressed her cheek.

"No more tears den _ma belle_," Remy said without removing his gaze from hers. "De past is past… _et_ we do have an entire life ahead us. A life I wan' y' to share wit' _moi_," he gently squeezed her hand. "Choice is y'rs."

"Ah love yah too Remy," Rogue squeezed his hand back. "And Ah'm more than willing to give it a chance. To share mah life with yah, wherever it takes us."

_Live and learn  
Well the years they flew  
And we never knew  
We were foolish then  
We would never tire  
And that little fire  
Is still alive in me  
It will never go away  
Can't say goodbye to yesterday_

**xXXx  
**

Quotes:  
_"But if it's you Ah'll die. Ah can't work through this, Remy, if Ah'm worried all the time about you."  
"An' how am I supposed to live wit' you gone from my life?"_**_  
_X-Men #109**

Song:  
"This used to be my playground" by Madonna


	2. Remy, Leaving all behind

A/N: Thank you all for your nice words!! I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. This second chapter is somewhat Remy's POV, although is not the same event. It was going to be a first, but then I felt it would be a little repetitive so as the title says it's about some past event from Remy's life where Rogue clearly is involved and somehow linked with the last chapter. I hope you like it.

**Laceylou76**, I loved the way you described it as 'heartbraking and lovely' certainly this was very painful for Rogue but what a best way to overcome the past ghosts than having Remy by her side, right? Not just Remy is able to get through her, she is able to do the same for him too, that's one of the many many things I love about this couple. **tfobmv18** thanks for always being here, I'm glad to have you as one of my readers, hope you like Remy's chapter! **AshmandaLC** I'm sighing happily because of your words *blush*, there's a lot of details comics doesn't portray but those same gaps gives us endless possobilities to work with, the thing is their greatness Rogue and Remy are certainly one of the best couples ever. **kvh502**, what else can I say to you!! especially since your days at work are one of the reasons I did this LOL -hope you're having funnier days... yesterday I watched True Blood second season first episode and I'm so excited about it, I love Sookie and even when I like her relationship with Bill I found Eric just irresistible!! **Ultimategammy91**, I got rid of that extra **'d'** LOL thanks for pointing that out, so are you planning to do another part of Rain yay!! I might keep nagging you to encourage you again!! luv ya girl! **airo25**, truth to be told I kind of follow your idea since I noticed you did the same with Whispers, so I thought it was a pretty good way to deal with the writer's block while giving other ideas their chance, yup I was inspired by you too! **spriterx**, thanks I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope you like this one as well, thanks for sticking with it! Thank you all, I love you people, cyber cinammon buns for you all :D

For Kate, and the -hopefully funny- work days ahead ;)

Warning: pure romyness

Disclaimer: NO I don't own the X-men nor the song mentioned here!!

**xXXx**

Remy took the paper Kitty handled him and read the obituary. His red on black eyes sparkled while his thin lips whispered something. Kitty watched in silence giving him a moment to deal with it, but before she could say anything else, he cut her off and disappeared behind his bedroom curtains. In a flash, Remy entered Rogue's room, but the beautiful green-eyed girl wasn't there. She was gone. A deep sigh escaped his lips and he ran towards the garage, Rogue must be devastated and he had to be by her side.

**…**

A few hours later Remy stopped at a gas station to fill up his bike, and second-guessed himself. Was he doing the right thing? He knew Rogue could take care of herself, and that she hated to be seen as the damsel in distress, unable to control her powers and therefore feelings. Yes, he knew her better than that and despite her stubbornness and the way she had left without telling him about Cody's death he knew he had to be with her. There had been moments when Remy had stayed away, giving his girl the space she liked and needed but this was different; even though they had talked about their troubled pasts and agreed that them didn't matter, this time was different, this time it did matter. Remy refused to give up, Rogue was his life, the girl who had saved him from his own trouble past months ago. It was his time now. Remy was going to be there for her, to help her overcome the haunts of her past, just as she had done before.

**xXx**

The young man ran desperately through the bayou area, it was a dark night and the moon was hiding behind a pair of huge grey clouds, normally in a night like this he would feel safe, even protected -after all he was a thief- but not today, not with a pair of assassins on his heels. He was tired and gasping for air, trying to cover his tracks the best he could, of course he was well trained but so were they. He could hear their steps right behind him as their feet crashed the fallen tree leaves, so he held on the pain and hastened up in an attempt to leave them behind.

The guy was Remy LeBeau, the 21 years old heir of the New Orleans Thieves Guild. A red on black eyed mutant better known as Gambit with the ability to tap into the potential energy contained within an object and transform it into kinetic energy upon touching it. People could say he had a deadly touch. True or false he had just kill one man, his supposed to be brother in law, Julien Boudreaux and thus he was running for his life. He was badly injured, his left shoulder bleeding for the only shot assassins hit on him. Finally he reached the river -it was now or never- he considered his chances, get into the water and maybe drown or stay on the ground and get killed by his persecutors... none. He had to make it; he couldn't just die there, not like this, not without seeing her again.

"_Merde_, t'ink Remy, t'ink" he said to himself as something caught his eye. It was an old metal barrel, _"Parfait"_ he smirked.

He took the barrel and threw it into the water, trying to get the best splash from it; then using all his strength he climbed a tree and waited. Just as he expected the assassins who had been chasing him stood in front of the river, believing he'd just dove in. When the men finally walked away Remy waited for a while to get off the branch, just to be sure it was safe, but also to rest a little and get his strength back. He rested his head on the tree trunk and closed his eyes his mind traveling instantly to the only person he was dying to see. The girl who was the reason of his escape and who's face he hadn't being able to erase from his thoughts in the past months, especially her beautiful sparkling emerald green eyes.

"What have y' done to _moi_ Rogue..." he whispered.

Remy made a huge effort to come down from the tree, the pain on his shoulder was killing him, not to mention the bruises around his entire body, in fact he was lucky to be alive. He walked aimlessly for several minutes before he finally reached the railway and spotted a train passing by. With his final strength he jumped into a boxcar, he wasn't sure where the train was going but was eager to leave the city, anyplace was better than this. Remy curled up in a corner; he was going back to Bayville, and the green-eyed X-girl, Rogue.

The bustle of the train made his entire body ache again, he tried to sleep but it was impossible, and he found himself thinking about all the things he'd been through. The reason why he was all injured and traveling as a stowaway in a boxcar, forced into exile from his family and the Thieves Guild, un-welcomed at New Orleans, and clinging to one last hope, Rogue. He should have listened her and accepted the offer she made him once. Became an X-man to run away of all these shit the Guild's issues had became. Jean-Luc, Marius, Belle, all that damn arranged marriage he never liked, he was going to miss Henri, though, the only person who seemed to care about him. Since the beginning Remy knew that marriage wasn't the solution but his father didn't listen.

Once he rescued Jean-Luc and the X-men left, his father had brought out the alliance marriage subject again, much to Remy's distaste, clearly Jean-Luc hadn't changed a bit. Anyhow, after he refused to marry Belle, the entire Assassins Guild, and especially her brother Julien, took his decision as an insult and asked Jean-Luc to force him into the marriage or they would kill him. So, worried about his son's life, but mostly his own guild, Jean-Luc tried to convince him. Remy didn't acceded and his father was forced to ask him to leave the city, even exiling him from the Thieves Guild. But that hadn't been enough for the Assassins, somehow they knew about his plans and intercepted him at the Bayou, eight against one. Remy wasn't prepared for an attack and the Assassins beat him up, even so Remy managed to beat down six of them, after all he was a trained thief and a powerful mutant. The other two had been the ones who chased him down the river and put a bullet in his left arm.

Feeling drowsy and exhaust, Remy wondered how the Assassins had fond out about his leave. The fact that nobody knew about it made him wonder, the only one who knew about it was his father, Jean-Luc had betrayed him. Remy cursed his father and the entire Thieves Guild, he had never cared about him, it had been his powers what led him to take him as his son. He was a fool, he'd tried to walked away from that life once, and still he'd came back for him... his father, and even when nothing has changed between them he stayed with him instead of going with her. And so, now here he was, extremely bad injured, abandoned and betrayed by his own 'family' and leaving New Orleans, the city he used to call home, but with one thing clear on his mind, Rogue and his urgent need of her.

_I've been travelin' on this road too long  
Just tryin' to find my way back home  
But the old me's dead and gone  
Dead and gone  
And oh hey, I've been travelin' on this road too long  
Just tryin' to find my way back home  
But the old me's dead and gone  
Dead and gone_

At some point Remy finally fell asleep; when he woke up the sunlight was filling the boxcar. He step off the still moving train and walked towards the little village next to the railroad track where he 'borrowed' a couple of twenties from a guy at the gas station and bought a bus ticket to New York, in a few hours he would be finally there. Wrapped on his own trench coat and avoiding any kind of eye contact he walked away the ticket office, an injured red on black eyed man wasn't that common and the last thing he wanted was issues with the police of a small town, if mutants were feared in big cities such as New York, God knows what could happen in a little place like this.

With the ticket on his pocket, he bought some food, a coke and a pair of aspirins and sat down on a wooden bench far away from all the movement. The dry blood covering his body was well hidden by his trench coat so he took the aspirins, and letting out a deep breath he tried to relax. Truth was he wasn't nervous because of his look or the chances of attract someone's attention, he was nervous because of the green-eyed girl. Why was he feeling that way? No, he wasn't feeling anything was he? Was it fear, excitement maybe? No way, he was the 'always calmed' Remy LeBeau. He'd been with so many girls before, seeing them falling in love with him, many of them even being nothing more than a one nightstand. He had never had feelings like the feelings he was having before, not for anyone, not even Bella, and feeling them for the first time made him insecure, nervous, and to be honest, scared.

Rogue was definitely the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. She was beautiful in every sense of the word. Beautiful in a very unique way, green emerald eyes, auburn white striped hair and that perfect body always covered. Remy was sure Rogue was a shy and fragile girl hiding behind a wall of tough and rude manners. He'd seen her for weeks before he kidnapped her, studied every single movement, every face, every word she said and the ones she didn't. He'd heard her crying at night and noticed the sad look on her face every time that Scott Summers hugged and kissed his red-haired girlfriend; the disappointment in her eyes when her teammates and friends avoided her and the sad smile that covered her face every night before she went to sleep when she stood by her mirror staring at her reflection without the layers of clothes she wore during the day.

"_Mon Dieu chère, tu es très magnifique," _Remy sighed.

Tired but clinging to his last hope, Remy LeBeau light on a cigarette and waited for his train.

_No more stress, now I'm straight  
Now I get it, now I take time to think  
Before I make mistakes just for my family stake  
That part of me left yesterday  
The heart of me is strong today  
No regrets I'm blessed to say the old me dead and gone away_

**…**

It was a dark night, and the mansion was pretty quiet since everybody had. Everyone but her; the young girl was sitting on her bed enjoying the peaceful silence of the night. Lying there she couldn't help but think about the red on black eyed thief, a sigh escaped her lips as her hand twisted the card she was holding, the Queen of Hearts, _"my lucky lady"_ she could hear his thick Cajun accented voice inside her head. If he was so attracted to her, if he cared that much about her, then why hadn't he come back? He'd promised. Rogue sighed again as a shinny tear ran down her cheek. She'd been a fool for believing his words; for God's sake he was a thief and a former Acolyte, probably already married to that assassin girl he'd once mentioned.

A gust of wind entered her room and Rogue came back to reality, it was beginning to chill and she thought it was time to close her window doors. She stepped into her balcony and despite it was a cold night she decided to keep it open. Rogue hated to admit it but the reason for keeping it that way was Remy LeBeau and her inner desire to see him again. Rogue had always been a loner, not because she wanted it, but because it was easier that way; she liked the Institute and her teammates but no matter how hard she tried to ignore it there was always some kind of rejection towards her. She didn't blame them, though, after all her skin was like poison, one touch and they could end up in a coma or worst. Even Logan took his security measures around her; it had always been like that, until she met Gambit.

For some reason Remy LeBeau didn't seem to be afraid of her. In fact, during the time they had spent together in New Orleans he'd treated her like a normal person, touching her covered body with a naturally, anyone before him did, not even Logan or the Professor. That little detail made her feel comfortable around him, by doing that Remy had been capable of make her feel good with herself and that's why she missed him, at least one of the reasons. He might be a thief, a liar, a deceitful Cajun, but a part of her knew that there was more in him. That one time in New Orleans as they rescued his father, she could notice the fear in his eyes, his loneliness behind his suave façade. Rogue sighed, she missed him and she wanted, more than anything, to see him again.

Rogue shook her head in denial. It was too late and it was too cold, it had been more than eight months since that night in the Bayou, the night she saw him walking away with his father. He had grabbed her hand for an instant, forcing her to meet his eyes one last time and as he whispered those words in her ear he'd slipped the Queen of Hearts into her gloved hand before turning his back on hers and walk away with his father. No one had noticed it, all X-men already walking towards the X-jet, no one had seen or heard a thing.

"_Carry it et t'ink of moi in dose times we aren' together... t'ough I hope dose are few." _

Rogue smiled as his words echoed in her mind. She really wanted to believe it, to believe his words, to believe in him. It had meant something, she was sure. Her entire being was screaming his name but all she could do was cling to the sincerity behind his words, to believe in faith.

Just when she was about to close her window doors a gentle hand grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her. Shocked, Rogue looked up to meet the face of Remy LeBeau, smiling warmly down at her despite the bruises that were covering it. Rogue stifled a scream as her green eyes widened at the sight of the man she'd long waited. Remy put a finger on her lips to shut her up as he reached forward and placed a gentle and soft kiss on her forehead.

Still startled, Rogue looked up at him. "Ah didn't even hear you coming up."

"Was de idea," Remy said without losing his grip on her. "I'm a t'ief."

"Remy..." Rogue said noticing his injuries. "What happened? Mah Gawd yah're hurt!" she brushed her gloved hand across his injured face and looked at him deep in his eyes.

Remy placed his hand over hers, and smiled. "Sorry I'm late... it took _moi_ forever to get here." He spoke gently and Rogue closed her eyes enraptured by the sound of his voice.

She knew what he meant. "Ah'm glad yah're here," she smiled back, eyes still closed. "Thought yah would never make it."

"Should know _moi_ better dan dat _chère_."

"And now what?" Rogue said shyly, reluctant to ask him that question. "What will yah do now?"

"Stay where I belong _ma belle_... at y'r side."

"Ah could not ask for anything more," Rogue smiled back at him, rising up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck, fixing her sparkling emerald green eyes on his velvety red on black ones.

"Neither do I."

And Remy LeBeau, the gambler thief wasn't lying. Not this time. He was more than prepared to do anything as long as she was with him. They stay like that for a while, silently just holding on to one another. Rogue's head nestled on Remy's neck.

"Ah think Ah love you, Remy LeBeau," Rogue admitted, her voice barely audible, almost a whisper.

"_Je t'aime aussi chère._"Remy whispered in her hair as he wrapped his arms tight around her waist, pulling her body closer to his.

_I've been travelin' on this road too long  
Just tryin' to find my way back home  
But the old me's dead and gone  
Dead and gone  
And oh hey, I've been travelin' on this road too long  
Just tryin' to find my way back home  
But the old me's dead and gone  
Dead and gone, dead and_

**xXx**

Remy saw Rogue leaning against a big oak tree. The moment his eyes caught her curled auburn white-stripped hair waving in the wind all sense and all doubt wiped clean away. He could see her body shivering and heard the sobs. It killed him to see her like that. He approached her and gently brushed her cheek, wiping away her tears with his thumb. Startled Rogue looked up to see his face and despite all the pain the hurt on her face was causing him, he smiled warmly at her. The rings under her eyes, the look of pain on her face… those demons, the demons of her past were haunting her again. Remy had never cared for a girl the way he cared about Rogue before. He wanted to protect her, to take the pain away for her, but above all to be there with her, for her, in every sense and forever.

Closing the space between them, Remy sat down next to her, before saying a word he gently caressed her cheek. For a brief moment no words were needed, he was here for her and she was more than glad. _"I'm always goin' to be by y'r side chère... where I belong,"_ Remy thought to himself before Rogue finally broke the silence.

**xXXx**

Quotes:  
_"Carry it and think of me in those times we aren't together - though Ah hope those're few."_  
**Uncanny X-Men #350**  
-Rogue and Gambit, as she hands him a playing card- clearly I made Remy said this instead of Rogue.

Song:  
"Dead and Gone" by T.I. ft. Justin Timberlake


End file.
